Cartridge actuated device



Oct. 8, 1963 i. R-BARR ETAL CARTRIDGE ACTUATED DEVICE Original FiledJan. 20, 1959 INVENTORS IRWIN R. BA RR NICHOLAS ZfJ/STA BYW A 3,166,131CARTRIDGE ACTUATED DEVICE Irwin R. Barr, Lutherville, and Nicholas I. laCosta, Phoenix, Md, assignors to Aircraft Armaments, Inc, Cockeysville,Md, a corporation of Maryland Continuation of application Ser. No.787,880, Fan. 20, 1959. This application May 24, 1961, Ser. No.

Claims. (Cl. S1)

This invention relates to a cartridge actuated device and, moreparticularly, to a cartridge actuated device employing an explosivecartridge which engages and moves a piston through a fixed stroke.

A cartridge actuated device is a packaged unit for operating valves,cutting and splicing cable, actuating linkages, propelling masses,disconnecting components, initiating sequential operations, etc. Incartridge actuated devices of the class described, these mechanicalfunctions are performed by properly utilizing the gas pressure producedby an explosive cartridge to move a piston. When cartridge actuateddevices of the class described are to be used in installations wherethere is danger of fire or explosion, it is essential that thepropellant residue be contained in some manner. It has been customary inthe past to make the casing for the cartridge in the form of a flexiblebellows so that the propellant residue will be contained therein. Whenthe powder charge of the cartridge is exploded, the pressure produced bythe propellant gases acts inferior to the bellows to expand the same. Bycarefully calculating the powder charge, it is possible to produce fullexpansion of the bellows without effecting rupture thereof. However,flexible bellows are somewhat difiicult to manufacture thus adding tothe cost of such cartridges. In addition, it has been found that unlessthe bellows are confined within a cylindrical hole throughout the rangeof expansion, the full force of the propellant gases cannot beeffectively utilized. Thus, without the guiding walls, the bellowsgenerally expand along a curved line instead of a straight line with theresult that the length of stroke achieved by the piston will be short ofthat desired.

Many efiorts have been made to contribute a cartridge for a cartridgeactuated device of the class described in which entirely containing thepropellant residue internal to the cartridge does not hinder maintaininga uniform stroke length, but so far as is known, no successful cartridgefor a cartridge actuated device of the class described has yet beencontributed to the art, and the problems here outlined remain unsolved.It is an object of this invention, therefore, to contribute a cartridgefor a cartridge actuated device of the class descibed, and entirelycontainin the propellant residue within the cartridge, in which astraight line stroke of constant length is obtained without thenecessity for providing guide walls on the cartridge actuated device.

As a feature of this invention whereby the objects thereof are attained,the part of the cartridge casing adjacent the piston extends forwardlytheretoward, and has at its extremity a rearwardly extending cup-shapedinner depression, the bottom of which constitutes a face upon which thepiston is engageable. The depth of the cup is approximately one-half thelength of the piston stroke desired, and the diameter is such as to makethe substantially parallel rearwardly extending tube walls liesubstantially adjacent to the forwardly directed mutually substantially.parallel tube walls. When the powder charge is expoded, the pressure ofthe propellant gases reverse forms the material of the casing therebyturning the cup inside out, but does not rupture the material. Byallowing the forwardly extending portion of the casing fat-am PatentedGet. 8; 1963 to remain fixed at all times as the inner depression movesin response to the pressure of the propellant gases, there is assurancethat the entire movement of the bottom of the cup occurs in a straightline. Thus, a uniform stroke length is achieved. As used herein, theterm stroke length refers to the length of the stroke of the inner tubenot including any axial outbowin-g of the tube upon completion of theaxial outrolling and circumferential expansion of the inner tube.

Still other objects, features and attendant advantages will becomeapparent to one skilled in the art from a reading of the followingdetailed description of one physical embodiment constructed inaccordance with the invention, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein FIGURE 1 is a view partly in section of acartridge actuated device.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the improved cartridge partially shownin FIGURE 1.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIGURE 1 is a cartridgeactuated device designated generally at it having recessed housing 11over which plunger 12 is slidably engaged. Contained within recessedhousing 11 is breech 13- in which firing pin 14 is slidably mounted.Engaged between the forward face 15 of breech 13 and shoulder 16 is thebreech portion 18 of cartridge 17 made in accordance with thisinvention.

Cartridge 17 includes a generally cylindrical casing 19 formed ofmaterial capable of being reverse drawn or in other words of permanentplastic deformation by incremental cold fiow working under appliedpressure, and that has at one end an enlarged :breech portion 20interconnected by shoulder 21 to a forwardly directed cylindrical tubeor wall portion 22. Portion 22 terminates remote from breech portion 20in an inturned flange or bend 23. Casing 19 also includes a cylindricaltube or wall portion 24 attached at one end to bend 23. Portion 24 issmaller in diameter than portion 22, and extends, concentric to thelatter, rearwardly from bend 23 to define a closed annular chamber. Theother end of portion 24 terminates in transverse piston engaging surface25 in the region of breech portion 20. Surface 25 thus forms means whichclose said other end of portion 24. Portion 24 and face 25 constitutethe parts of a rearwardly extending cup-shaped depression which closesone end of the casing. The bottom of this depression constitutes a faceupon which piston 26 of plunger 12 is engaged.

Breech portion 20 is at the open end of casing 19. Cartridge closurehead 27 fits into portion 20 to close casing 19 with shoulder 28 engagedagainst shoulder 21. This forms breech portion 18 of the cartridge. Head27 is secured to the casing by crimping free end 29 of casing 19thereover. In the center of head 27 is percussion primer 30. The primersize is governed by the mass required to be moved, the time of movement,initial volume and like considerations. Recess 31 in head 27 providesspace for added propellant for larger type cartridges where greaterenergy is required than is available from the primer alone.

Inspection of FIGURE 2 reveals that head 27 and surface 25 define aportion of a primary chamber that is connected to the annular chamberdefined by portions 22 and 24 of the casing. When firing pin 14 movesforward and strikes primer 30, the charge contained therein explodesproducing propellent gases which enter the primary and annular chambers.The pressure of these gases will effect reverse permanent plasticdeformation of the material of the casing, turning the cup-shapeddepression inside out until under sufiicient pressure the part of thecasing 19 adjacent to piston 26 is as shown in broken lines at 32. Suchaction by the propellent gases drives plunger 12 through piston 26 totheposition at 12. And since the charge is adjusted so that the material ofcasing 19 is not ruptured, all of the propellant residue. is containedinterior to the casing during and after movement of piston engaging face25.

As can be seen in FIGURE 1, portion 24 engaged With piston 26 serves tocoaxially support the latter in the recess or bore of housing 11. Afterpropellent gases are introduced into the interior of the casing, surface25 axially moves away from closure 27 imparting axial displacement topiston 26. As can best be seen in FIGURE 2, portion 24 is deformed bythe gases into a cylindrical tube, of substantially the same diameter asportion 22, that extends forwardly from the forward end of portion 22.However, portion 24, prior to its deformation, serves to coaxiallysupport piston 26 during its axial dis placement.

The annular shape of the part of the casing adjacent to the piston andconstituting in part the walls 24, 25 interconnected by curved wall 23imparts inherent strength and rigidity thereto, particularly when thewalls are substantially adjacent. As the material is initially beingreversely plastically deformed through sequential incremental cold flowmovement of the material through the reverse bend interconnection' andthence to inside-out permanently deformed shape and increasedcircumferential size as a side wall continuation of the original tubeportion 22 during the first half of the stroke, as indicated at 33, face25 is rigidly held for straight line displacement due to the curvatureof terminus 23. This curvature exists up until the very last incrementof displacement of face 25 except in those instances Where sufficientgas pressure may be generated to bow the face 25 outwardly to convexor'hernispherical curvature at the end of the stroke, therebyeliminating the necessity for external supports to guide movement of thecasing during at least the initial major portion of the power strokeWhile still allowing a positive uniform displacement of the face and apositive containment of propellant residue. In order to insure againstleakage of propellent gases past head 27, seal 34, or its equivalent,may be employed.

It should be noted that piston engaging surface 25, as it moves awayfrom head 27 under the influence of the internal gas pressure, isdisplaced from its original position adjacent to head 18 at a rate whichis twice that at which terminus 23 is displaced from its originalposition. As a result, piston 12 moves twice as far as terminus 23moves. Thus, when annular support for the exterior Walls of the casingis required as they move to the position indicated at 32, such supportneed be only half the piston stroke assuming, of course, that the gaspressure is maintained below that at which the material would rupture atany given position of the stroke.

While the drawing shows one type of cartridge actuated device, typesother than that illustrated could be used. It will further be evidentthat an electric primer may be substituted for the percussion primershown, and that there is no limit to the diameter of the cartridge or tothe length of stroke able to be obtained.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that this invention provides :acartridge in which the propellant residue is entirely contained withinthe cartridge casing and in which a uniform, positive stroke length isachieved without the necessity for providing for external support forthe cartridge at the extremity of its displacement.

As used herein, the term permanently deformed or permanent deformationis intended to mean that the material is substantially self-sustainingin the deformed position and will not self-restore itself to the shapeor size it originally held prior to deformation, such as would beeffected in elastic deformation.

This application is a continuation of Serial No. 787,880; filed January20, 1959, now abandoned.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a housing having a bore with an annular confining wallhaving opposing interfacing surfaces of substantially circularcylindrical form in right angular cross-section, the improvementcomprising a gas-containment casing of material capable of cold flow toa permanent deformation and having two concentric tubes with mutuallysubstantially parallel longitudinally extending an- I nular wallsinterconnected at one end by an integral smooth reverse bend annular endWall portion, one of said tubes being smaller in outer circumferencethan the corresponding inner circumference of the other said tube andbeing disposed at least in part Within said other tube, each of saidtubes being substantially equally spaced apart about their circumferenceand of substantially circular cylindrical form in right angular crosssection along the mutually substantially parallel extent of theirlongitudinal side walls, the outer of said tubes being adapted to fitWithin the circular cylindrical surfaced confining Wall of said housing,said smaller inner tube having a closure wall at its other end, saidsmaller inner tube being free of longitudinal corrugations, closuremeans closing the other end of the outer said tube to form with theinner walls of said tubes a gas-containment chamber, and gas generatingmeans disposed within the confines of said casing and said closure meanswhereby said inner tube and closure wall may be thereby moved underincreased gas pressure effected by the gas generating means axially in adirection toward the reverse bend interconnecting end wall porion andpermanently plastically deformed both in shape and in increasedcircumferential size by sequential incremental cold flow rollingmovement of the material of the smaller inner tube through the reversebend interconnection and thence to an increased circumferential sizeouter cross-sectional tube form as a side wall continuation of theoriginal outer substantially parallel walled tube, with the terminationclosure of the final expanded side wall tube continuation being formedby the material of the original closure wall. I

2. The improvement according to claim 1, further comprising a pistonhaving an end portion substantially complementary in exterior size tothe interior size of said inner tube, said end portion of said pistonbeing disposed within said inner tube for aid in support thereof by saidinner tube and being free of permanent connection to said casing.

3. A gas pressure actuated cartridge arrangement comprising a housinghaving a cylindrical bore with oppositely interfacing wall surfaces ofsubstantially circular cylindrical form in right angular cross-section;a longitudinally expandable telescoped unitary gas-containment casingincluding an outer cylindrical tube portion substantially complementaryto and disposed within said bore, and a smaller cylindrical tube portionfree of longitudinal corrugations and interconnected at one end thereofwith one end of said outer tube portion by a smooth annular reverse bendend wall portion, said inner tube portion having an integral sheetclosure at its opposite end and being telescopically disposed at leastin part within said outer tube portion, the interfacing respective wallportions of said cylindrical tube portions being substantially parallel,substantially equally spaced apart and of substantially circularcylindrical form in right angular cross section, tube closure meansclosing the other end of said outer tube portion and forming a closedgas containment chamber with said tubes, and gas generating meansdisposed within the confines of said tube closure means and the interiorsurface of said tube portions, said inner tube portion being free tomove axially relative to said outer tube portion in a direction towardthe reverse bend interconnecting end wall portion in response togeneration of gas, and increase of gas pressure, within saidgas-containment chamber, and to become permanently plastically deformedboth in shape and in increased size of outer circumference by sequentialincremental cold flow rolling of the material of the smaller inner tubeportion through the reverse bend interconnection and thence to anincreased diameter cross-sectional tube form as a side Wall continuationof the original outer substantially parallel Walled tube portion, withthe original radially inner circumferential surface portion of theoriginal inner tube portion being outfolded to form the radially outercircumferential surface portion of the permanently deformed outer sidewall continuation, and the termination closure of the finalcircumferentially expanded side wall tube continuation being formed bythe material of the original closure Wall.

4. The improvement according to claim 3, further comprising a pistonhaving an end portion substantially complementary in exterior size tothe interior size of said inner tube portion, said end portion of saidpiston being disposed Within said inner tube portion for aid in supportthereof by said inner tube and being free of permanent connection tosaid casing.

5. A gas pressure actuated cartridge arrangement comprising a housinghaving a cylindrical bore with substantially parallel oppositelyinterfacing Wall surfiaoes; a longitudinally expandable telescopedunitary gas-containment casing including an outer cylindrical tubeportion substantially complementary to and disposed within said bore anda smaller cylindrical tube portion free of longitudinal corrugations andinterconnected at one end thereof with one end of said outer tubeportion by a smooth annular reverse bend end Wall portion, said innertube portion having an integral sheet closure at its opposite end andbeing telescopically disposed at least in part within said outer tubeportion, the interfacing respective Wall portions of said cylindricaltube portions being substantially parallel and substantially equallyspaced apart, tube closure means closing the other end of said outertube portion and forming a closed gas containment chamber with saidtubes, and gas generating means disposed Within the confines of saidtube closure means and the interior surface of said tube portions, saidinner tube portion being free to move axially relative to said outertube portion in a direction toward the reverse bend interconnecting endWall portion in response to generation of gas, and increase of gaspressure, within said gas-containment chamber, and to become permanentlyplastically :deformed both in shape and in increased size of outercircumference by sequential incremental cold ilow rolling of thematerial of the smaller inner tube portion through the reverse bendinterconnection and thence to an increased diameter cross-sectional tubeform as a side Wall continuation of the original outer parallel Walledtube portion, with the original radially inner circumferential surfaceportion of the original inner tube portion being outfolded to form theradially outer circumferential surface portion of the permanentlydeformed outer side Wall continuation, and the termination closure ofthe final circumferentially expanded side Wall tube continuation beingformed by the material of the original closure wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,077,472 Hof-mann Nov. 4, 1913 2,564,209 Murphy Aug. '14, 19512,575,071 Rockwell Nov. 13, 1951 2,830,539 Cecil Apr. 15, 1958 2,938,429Jaglowski May 31, 1960

1. FOR USE IN A HOUSING A BORE WITH AN ANNULAR CONFINING WALL HAVINGOPPOSING WALL INTERFACING SURFACES OF SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR CYLINDRICALFORM IN RIGHT ANGULAR CROSS-SECTION, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING AGAS-CONTAINMENT CASING OF MATERIAL CAPABLE OF COLD FLOW TO A PERMANENTDEFORMATION AND HAVING TWO CONCENTRIC TUBES WITH MUTUALLY SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING ANNULAR WALLS INTERCONNECTED AT ONEEND BY AN INTEGRAL SMOOTH REVERSE BEND ANNULAR END WALL PORTION, ONE OFSAID TUBES BEING SMALLER IN OUTER CIRCUMFERENCE THAN THE CORRESPONDINGINNER CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE OTHER SAID TUBE AND BEING DISPOSED AT LEASTIN PART WHILE SAID OTHER TUBE, EACH OF SAID TUBES BEING SUBSTANTIALLYEQUALLY SPACED APART ABOUT THEIR CIRCUMFERENCE AND OF SUBSTANTIALLYCIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL FORM IN RIGHT ANGULAR CROSS SECTION ALONG THEMUTUALLY SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL EXTENT OF THEIR LONGITUDINAL SIDE WALLS,THE OUTER OF SAID TUBES BEING ADAPTED TO FIT WITHIN THE CIRCULARCYLINDRICAL SURFACEED CONFINING WALL OF SAID HOUSING, SAID SMALLER INNERTUBE HAVING A CLOSURE WALL AT ITS OTHER END, SAID SMALLER INNER TUBEBEING FREE OF LONGITUDINAL CORRUGATIONS, CLOSURE MEANS CLOSING THE OTHEREND OF THE OUTER SAID TUBE TO FORM WITH THE INNER WALLS OF SAID TUBES AGAS-CONTAINMENT CHAMBER, AND GAS GENERATING MEANS DISPOSED WITHIN THECONFINES OF SAID CASING AND SAID CLOSURE MEANS WHEREBY SAID INNER TUBEAND CLOSURE WALL MAY BE THEREBY MOVED UNDER INCREASED GAS PRESSUREEFFECTED BY THE GAS GENERATING MEANS AXIALLY IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THEREVERSE BEND INTERCONNECTING END WALL PORTION AND PERMANENTLYPLASTICALLY DEFORMED BOTH IN SHAPE AND IN INCREASED CIRCUMFERENTIAL SIZEBY SEQUENTIAL INCREMENTAL COLD FLOW ROLLING MOVEMENT OF THE MATERIAL OFTHE SMALLER INNER TUBE THROUGH THE REVERSE BEND INTERCONNECTION ANDTHENCE TO AN INCREASED CIRCUMFERENTIAL SIZE OUTER CROSS-SECTIONAL TUBEFORM AS A SIDE WALL CONTINUATION OF THE ORIGINAL OUTER SUBSTANTIALLYPARALLEL WALLED TUBE, WITH THE TERMINATION CLOSURE OF THE FINAL EXPANDEDSIDE WALL TUBE CONTINUATION BEING FORMED BY THE MATERIAL OF THE ORIGINALCLOSURE WALL.